Aircraft



l 625,646 April 19' 1927- F. GADDls AIRCRAFT Filed May 5. 1926 3Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS 1,625,646 APlll 19 1927' F. GADDIS AmcRAFTFiled May 1926 s sheets-sheet z ZZ f/ I'NVENTOR 0 W Y Francas GaddpsATTORNEYS 1,625, 46 April 19 1927. v F GADDIS 6 AIRCRAFT Filed May 5.V1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 -WITNESSES [NVENTOR E'ancl/S (kwZdz/s ATTORNEYSPatented Api'. 19, 1927.

UNI-TED STATES emmers GADDIs, or MEnRrcx, NEW Yoan.

AIRCRAFT.

Application led My 3,

This invention relates to air craft, and has especial reference toheavier than air craft.

An object of the present invention is to provide an. air craft with anovel means for y lifting or causing the ascension of the craft and forsustaining the same in the air.

To provide an air craft lwith an eficient form of lifting apparatuswhich causes the craft to ascend after the manner of a helicopter, andin which there is provided a maximum lifting surface with a minimumresistance of the main lifting and sustaining elements, is anotherobject of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heavier than air craftwith means for lifting or causing the ascension of the craft after themanner of a helicopter, and a second means which supplements the firstmentioned means inlifting the craft and which also serves for causingthe translatory movement of the craft.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe particular provision, relative disposition and operation of theparts. y 'lhe nature of the invention and its distinguishing featuresand advantages will appear when the following specification is read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of an air craft embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view of one of the stators and the rotor which is shown insection, and also illustrating the manner in which it travels aroundwith respect to the stator.

In the illustrated embodiment there is shown a heavier than air craft ofthe hydroaircraft type. The craftl includes a main supporting structureor body 10 which supports the lifting means, the supplemental liftingand propelling means, and the engines which operate the said means forlifty ing and propelling the craft. The structure the body 10. The bodor body 10 is in the form of aboat hull and is equipped with a landinggear in the form of shock absorbers 11 fore and aft of is also provide-dwith means for steering t e same in the form of a rudder 12 which isoperated by. any suit- 1926. Serial No. 106,516.

able operating means such as the one indicated at 13.

The main lifting means which serves for lifting craft substantiallyvertically and for sustaining the craft in the air, in the presentinstance includes stators 14 which are arranged in pairs above the body10, as shown most clearly in'Figs. 1 and 3. The` stators are lixedlysupported from supports 15 mounted on the top of the body 10. AssociatedWith each pair of stators 14 is a lifting rotor 16 in the form of anoblong panel which is supported by and bears a sliding relationship to adriving element or shaft 17 supported for rotation by bearings 18 of thesupports 15. Each shaft 17 is arranged eccentrically with respect to itsrelated pair of stators 14 for a purpose to appear. The rotor 16 has theopposite ends thereof respectively associated with the stators 14, theopposite side edges ofthe rotor being provided with anti-frictionrollers 19 which roll in contact with the related stator, as shown mostclearly in Fig. 4. As stated each rotor has al sliding relation to itsshaft and this is obtained-'by having the rotor extend through theshaft, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. ,By having the'shaft 17arranged. eccentrically with respect to its related stators 14 and therotor 16 slidable with respect to the shaft 17, it is possible to obtaina greater vrotor surface at one side of the longitudinal axis ofrotation than at the other side thereof. Each stator is not. trulycircular but is irregular in form so as to permit the Irotor to haverotational as well as sliding movements. It is to be noted that therotors 16 are disposed longitudinally of the body10 and each is of alength so as to extend substantially the. length ofthe body 10. Therotors 16 are mainly relied upon for lifting the craft and forsustaining the same in the air, and when in operation lifting the craftsubstantially vertically after the manner of a helicopter.

In order to augment the liftingeifect of the rotors 16, and also tocause the vtranslatory movement of the craft there are provided pairs ofstators 20 at each side of the body 10 which will be disposed below thestators 14. The stators 20 are similar in construction to the stators 14and are movably held in place by brackets 21 which are supported fromthe body 10 by a transverse support 22. Associated with each pair ofstaneaaeae tors 2O is a lifting and propelling rotor 23 similar to therotors 16 but somewhat shorter in length. Two rotors 23 are associatedwith and operated by `a driving element or shaft 24 which extendstransversely through the body as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Each ofthe rotors 23 is slidable with respect to its shaft 24 and operates inthe same manner in which the rotors 16 operate, each rotor 23 havinganti-friction rollers 25 which roll in contact respectively with thestators 20. Each shaft 24 is supported for rotation in bearings 26carried by the brackets 21 and the body 10. Each shaft 24 is associatedwith two pairs of stators which are arranged in transverse alignment,and the shaft 24 is arranged eccentrically with respect thereto. Itfollows therefore that when the rotors 23 are in operation each willpresent a greater surface at one side of its axis of rotation than atthe opposite side thereof.

In order to canse the rotation of the rotors 16 and 23, any suitablepower system may be employed and in the present instance there is shownan engine 27 which may be of any preferred type such as an internalcombustion engine which includes a drive shaft 28 extending rearwardly,as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. lvlotion is transmitted to the shafts17 by virtue of the intel vention of sprockets 29 and 36 respectively onthe shafts 17, 28,'and countershaft 28', and chains 31. each of whichoperates in conjunction with a sprocket 29 and sprocket 30. Motion istransmitted to the countershaft 2t from shaft 28 by virtue of the gears30. The driving connection between the drive shaft 28 and the shafts 17is such that the rotors 16 will be rotated in opposite directions. Asuitable clutch 32 is employed so that the rotor 16 may be stopped fromrotating while the engine is running. The rotors 23 are caused to rotatein the same direction by virtue of the intervention of drivingconnections between the drive shaft 28 and the shafts 24. In the presentinstance the said driving connections between these shafts includes abevel gear 33 on the shaft 28 which meshes with a similar gear 34 on ashaft 35 rotatably supported in suitable bearings, the said shaft 35having a bevel gear 36 which meshes with a similar gear 37 on the rearshaft 24. The two shafts 24 are rotated in the same direction by virtueof the use of sprockets 38 respectively on the shafts 24 and a chain 39which encireles the sprockets 38. A suitable clutch 40 in the driveshaft 28 allows the rotors 23 to be stopped while the engine is running.

In order to change the positions of each of the stators 20 from theposition shown in Fig. 1 in which the rotors23 will augment the liftingaction of the rotors 16, to a position in which the rotors 23 will causethe translatory movement of the craft means presently to be described,is provided. Each stator 20 is provided with a gear segment 41 which hasin meshing engagement therewith a pinion 42. Shafts 43 each carry fourof the pinions 42. Each shaft 43 is arranged transversely of the body 10and is supported in suitable bearings in the brackets 21 and body 10.Similar movement is imparted to both of the shafts 43 by virtue of ahand wheel 44 on one of the shafts, and by virtue of the intervention ofsprockets 45 respectively on the shafts 43 and a chain 46 whichencircles the sprockets 45. 1When the sta tors 23 are in the positionsshown in Fig. 1 their rotors 23 in operation will cause a lifting actionbecause their greater surfaces will be operating against the air in a`downward direction, whereas when the stators 23 are moved one-quarter ofa revolution counterelockwise, the greater surfaces of the rotors 23 atone side on their axes will be op erating against the air mainly in arearward direction. In the latter case the craft will have impartedthereto translatory movement as distinguished from upward Inovement.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the rotors 16 may beoperated independently of the rotors 23 for causing the ascension of thecraft, although if desired the ro tors 23 as well as the rotors 16 maybe set in motion at the same time for lifting the craft and sustainingthe same in the air, also for descending. It will also be apparent thatby adjusting the stators 20 a, change of fune tion of the rotors 23 willbe obtained in that the rotors instead of servingfor liftingl the craft,will cause its translatory movement.

I claim:

l. In an air craft, a supporting body, oblong lifting rotors extendinglongitudinally above thebody, and oblong lifting and propelling rotorsextending laterally from the sides of the body, there being one at thefront and one at 'the rear on` each side of the body.

2. In an air craft, a supporting body, oblong lifting rotors extendinglongitudinally above the body substantially the length of the body, andoblong lifting and propelling rotors extending laterally from the sidesof the body, there beingr one at the front and one at the rear on eachside of the body.

3. In an air craft, a main supporting structure, lifting panels Yeach ofwhich rotates on an axis disposed longitudinally above the supportingstructure, and lifting and propelling panels each of which rotates on anaxis disposed laterally on each side of the supporting structure, therebeing one at the front and one at the rear on each side of thesupporting structure.

4. In an air craft, a main supporting structure, adjustable statorsarranged in tors, said means including a shaft foreach rotor with whichAit bears a'slidable relation.

ship, each shaft arranged eccentrically with Arespect to its relatedpair of stators, and means for -effecting the adjustment of the` statorswith respect to their rotors to vary the lifting action o f the rotors.y

6. In an air craft, va main supporting structure, stators arranged inpairs on the supporting structure, a lifting rotor associated with eachair of stators so as to extend laterally wit res ct to the supportingstructure, and means or effecting the rota-` tion of the rotors in thesame direction.

7 In an air craft, a supporting body, lifting rotors, ay air of statorsassociated with each of said ifting'rotors, lifting and pro-l pellingrotors, a air of stators associated Witheach of said iftingfandpropelling ro tors, means for eifectin the rotation of lifting rotors,and means or effecting the rotation of the lifting and propellingrotors.

8. In an air craft, a supporting body, lifting rotors, a pair of statorsassociated with each of saidI lifting rotors, lifting and propellingrotors, a pair of ad'ustable stators associated with each of sai liftingand propelling rotors, means for effecting the rotation of liftingrotors, means for effecting the rotation of the liftin and propellingrotors, and means for eecting the adjustment of the adjustable statorsto vary the lifting and propelling action of the lifting and propellingrotors. .i

9. In an air craft; a supporting body,

.lifting rotors, a pair of stators .associated with each of said liftingrotors, lifting and pro elling rotors, a pair of stators associated witeach of said lifting and propelling ro.-

tors, means for effecting the rotation of lifting rotors in oppositedirections, and means for effecting the rotation ofthe lifting andpropelling rotors. i

- 10.V In an. air craft, a supporting body, lifting'rotors, a pair ofstators, associated with'e'ach of said lifting rotors, lifting andpropelling rotorsa pair of stators associated with each of said liftingadpropelling rotors, and means for effecting the rotation o f thevlifting and propelling rotors inA the same direction.

11. In an air craft, a'supporting body, lifting rotors, a pair ofstators associated with 4each of said lifting rotors, lifting andpropelling rotors, a pair of ad'ustable sta- :tors associated with eachof sai lifting and propelling rotors, means for effecting the rotationof lifting rotors in opposite directions,means for effecting therotation of the lifting and propelling rotors, and means for effectingthe adjustment of the adjustable stators to vary the lifting andpropelling action of the lifting and propelling rotors.

12. In an air craft, a supporting body., lifting rotors, a pair ofstators associated with each of said lifting` rotors, lifting andpropelling rotors, a pair of adjustable stators associated with each ofsaid lifting and l propelling rotors, means for effecting therota'tionof` lifting rotors in opposite directions, an d meanslforeffecting the rotation of the lifting. andv propelling rotors, in thesame direction.

FRANCIS GADDIS..

